Apply AI to Solve Real World Problems

In this practical and inspiring session from the Artificial Unintelligence Conference 2025, Todd Thomas explores how to move beyond hype and apply artificial intelligence to solve real-world challenges. Drawing from hands-on experience in deploying AI across industries, Todd outlines a pragmatic roadmap for making AI adoption measurable, sustainable, and human-centered.

He emphasizes that successful AI initiatives start with problem definition — not model selection — and that collaboration, iteration, and high-quality data are the true differentiators of impact. Through case studies and lessons learned, Todd shows how organizations can focus on outcomes that matter: improving human experience, efficiency, and trust.

Key themes include:

Defining the right problems before building AI solutions

Why iteration and experimentation drive long-term success

The critical role of data quality and governance

Cross-functional collaboration between technologists and domain experts

Measuring AI’s value through real-world, human outcomes